Kingdom Hearts III: The Gathering
by Nightwing2593
Summary: After months training in the Realm of Sleep, Sora returns stronger than ever before. With Xehanort and his 13 Seekers of Darkness on the loose, the Keyblade Wielder and his friends embark on a new quest to recover former Keybladers and recover the Key to Return Hearts. With friends old and new can Sora stop Xehanort once and for all or is he destined for failure? Part 1 of KH III.
1. The First Move! Road to the Keyblade War

**Kingdom Hearts III: The Gathering**

**_*The following is a nonprofit fan-based interpretation of the final installment of the Dark Seeker Saga. Kingdom Hearts and all related characters are all owned by Square Enix and Disney. The song Sanctuary/Passion belongs to Utada Hikaru*_**

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**Prologue**

_"__Have you ever heard of the ancient Keyblade War? Many years ago, Keyblade Wielders started a war over the ownership of Light."_

_"__On that land shall Darkness prevail and Light expire…"_

_(Cue 'Sanctuary/Passion')_

* * *

Sitting deep in meditation with a knowing smirk on his wrinkled face, Master Xehanort awaited the arrival of his fellow Organization members. After nearly two decades of planning, the time had finally come to unite his thirteen Seekers of Darkness and at last claim his prize. Summoning his Keyblade the old man fired a dark beam of energy towards the Round Room's ceiling and opened a large Dark Corridor. Crackling with potent dark magics, the Corridor fired twelve beams that struck the empty thrones that surrounded the elderly master. When the darkness cleared, eleven cloaked figures cloaked figure appeared seated at the glowing thrones. With a wave of his gnarled hand, Xehanort closed the portal and began to address his vessels. "Good tidings friends." He mused with his signature hand motions. "Today is a momentous day. Now is the time to bring both Light and Darkness together and forge the ultimate power…the Χ-Blade!"

"Too bad about Kiddo!" the hooded form of Xigbar spoke with a smirk aimed at the throne straight across from him. "I thought Lil 'Nort here finally had some decent competition in the 'conceited kids who don't know their place department.'"

"Were your presence not necessary for my future, I would cut your impudent tongue out of your mouth!" Young Xehanort snarled as his fists began to crackle with dark energy.

"You? As if!" Xigbar goaded as he chuckled in delight at the irony of his situation as if it had been the older more experienced Xehanort he was poking fun at. Raising his hand to signal silence, Xehanort began to chuckle with cold confidence. "Vanitas' defeat was unexpected, but it has no impact in our overall plans. He will return to us soon enough."

"Hmph!" Young Xehanort scoffed. "Perhaps it'd be best if we left him to his fate. If he betrayed us once, he will simply do it again."

"Mark my words young one." Xehanort replied confidently. "The obsession for the Χ-Blade I instilled in Vanitas long ago will serve us well. In the end, no matter if he betrays us or not the Darkness in my heart will completely consume his own and he will play the role I have laid out for him."

"What of Lea?" the cold emotionless voice of Saïx asked from Xehanort's immediate right. Shifting his amber eyes to his right-hand's hooded frame, the elderly master clenched his right fist and calmly spoke with slight venom. "You are not to engage him unless necessary. We are not here to cater to your personal vendetta, are we clear Saïx?"

"Yes Master, forgive me." Saïx reluctantly replied with a lump in his throat. _'Soon Lea, soon we settle our score once and for all."_

"What now then you old coot?!" Xigbar snapped. "I've been waiting for months now when do we move forward?" Chuckling at the Nobody's impudence Xehanort teleported to the Freeshooter's spot and slammed him into the wall behind his throne with Keyblade poised at his throat much to his shock and awe.

"A-all right, you can put me down now." He gasped in fear. "You still need me to ensure your master plan is a success right? Without me, you wouldn't have gotten as far as you have."

Dismissing his Keyblade, Xehanort teleported back to his throne and snapped his fingers. In a flash of dark energy, a young woman wearing a plain white and blue dress appeared chained to the Round Room's wall. Also appearing chained to the wall, though unexpectedly was a hulking Beast wearing a mask of pure rage screaming his beloved's name at the top of his lungs.

"BELLE! RELEASE HER NOW!

"Before you." Xehanort explained to his vessels ignoring the Beast's enraged demands. "Is one of the seven Princesses of Heart and one of the pieces of Light we need to forge the Χ-Blade." Walking towards Belle, he re-summoned his Keyblade with a cruel smile on his face.

"You best let me go!" Belle defiantly screamed at the elder master as he got closer. "When Sora and his friends realize I'm missing, they'll-"

"On the contrary young lady." Xehanort interrupted. "When the boy does realize you're missing, I'll be more than five steps ahead of him."

"You won't get away with this old man!" the Beast snarled. "When I get out of this I will take back Belle and tear you limb from limb!"

"I'm afraid I've already 'gotten away with it' my dear Beast." The old man replied coldly as he plunged his weapon into Belle's chest. As the blade exited her chest cavity, Belle began to fade away into light as her heart flew to the triumphant Xehanort's hand. Bellowing in rage, the Beast broke through his chains and charge at the eerily calm Xehanort. "BASTARD! BRING HER BACK!"

Before he could make a clean swipe at his love's murderer, the Beast grimaced in pain as he was run through by Xemnas' ethereal blades and pinned back to the wall by the Superior himself. With a smug smirk, Xehanort turned to his younger self. "Return the Beast back to his world…and erase his memory. I want no proof that the Princess ever set foot in that castle, is that understood?"

"It shall be done." Young Xehanort bowed as he opened a Dark Corridor and drug the injured, flailing Beast with him to his fate. As the rest of the Organization contently watched the Beast's torment, the Xehanort possessed Terra however briefly could only look at the prisoner with deep sympathy and pity for his loss before the dark fragment of the elderly Master's heart took over once again. With the Beast out of his way, Xehanort greedily eyed his prize and rejoiced his small victory for what it was while the Organization's laughter filled the Round Room.

_"__Soon, everything I've worked for all this time will come together. Gone will this World oversaturated with Light soon be and with its end shall arise a new world with Light and Darkness in true equilibrium with Kingdom Hearts shining its radiance upon me and I will finally gain the knowledge I seek."_


	2. Broken Bonds! Moon Shine Down!

**Chapter 1: Training's End! Sora Returns.**

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**_*Refer to the prologue for disclaimer. The song Brave Heart belongs to Toei Animation, Bandai, Fuji T.V. and its singer Ayumi Miyazaki *_**

**_* Migi Gedan: Katana stance used in Ninjutsu and Tenshin Shōden Katori Shintō-ryū. The feet are spread apart while the sword is held below the waist at a 45 degree angle._**

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"I have learned that you too can wield a Keyblade, I am glad you are here…"

Stepping into the open room Kairi appeared before the great sorcerer with a powerful determination. No longer would she stand by on the sidelines as her friends risked their lives battling the forces of Darkness. Forces that if she overheard King Mickey correctly that have been after her from the very beginning.

"So, you are Princess Kairi." Yen Sid said stroking his weathered gray beard. "Sora speaks very highly of you." Trying not to get overwhelmed by the heat from her reddening cheeks at the mention of Sora's praise of her despite always being a burden in her eyes Kairi got down to business. "With all due respect sir, I'm not here to make small talk. I'm here to learn to fight."

Much to hers as well as Mickey and Riku's surprise, the retired Master began to laugh with unparalleled amusement. "You certainly have the spirit child, however we do not have the time to train you as you should be."

"Then why did you even bother to bring me here at all?" Kairi asked in exasperation. Surprised at the red-head's uncharacteristic disrespect, Riku was about to say something only to be stopped by Yen Sid's hand. Believing his statement to be misinterpreted by the princess, Yen Sid tried a new approach.

"We do not have the time, but it is not impossible. Like we did for another Keyblade Wielder on our side, myself and the three good fairies who reside here can alter the flow of time within this world to suit your needs. Several hours can equal to months or even years of training. But be warned, you are not here to learn the ways of the Keyblade so you can recklessly throw your life away. You are here to learn to be able to defend yourself when there is no one around to protect you."

"I understand." Kairi replied with a nod slightly disappointed that she still may not be able to participate in the battles ahead. "When can we start?"

"Immediately…"

* * *

**Several months later.**

_"__Do you really believe that defeating me will be the end? Oh no, this…this is only the beginning. No matter what you do or how much stronger you become, the Master will stop at nothing to capture your heart for the Χ-Blade. Enjoy your little victory while you can Red. Your pathetic friends won't be able to protect you forever…"_

Snapping her eyes open, Kairi jolted awake with a start shuddering at the memory of her conflict with Vanitas two months ago real time. During said encounter, the masked embodiment of Darkness had betrayed his Master's plan and attempted to use her as a vessel to forge the Χ-Blade for himself in much the same way he had used Ventus nearly two decades before. With Riku and Lea subdued by the Unversed it was up to Kairi to fight Vanitas. The battle had gone completely in her favor until the mask covering the despot's shattered revealing his resemblance to the boy who had always been by her side through thick and thin. Having discovered the girl's weakness, Vanitas began to attack far more brutally than ever before. Just before he struck what he believed was the final blow, Kairi had parried it with her Keyblade Destiny's Embrace with a sudden surge of power she never felt before as slipped into unconsciousness. When she came to, Vanitas had completely faded away and she held no memory of what had happened after the boy's unmasking. Despite her memory loss, Yen Sid was very much impressed with Kairi's performance and officially named her as a true Keyblade Wielder with the potential to one day show the Mark of Mastery.

Shaking out of her daze, Kairi decided that a quick patrol around the tower would clear her mind. Changing into her trademark pink mini dress, Kairi had left the confines of her room and into the starry sky outside Yen Sid's tower. As if on cue a group of Shadows accompanied by a three man squad of Soldiers and some Minute Bombs to mix things up spawned right in front of the young princess.

"You guys never learn." Kairi sighed with a roll of her eyes as she called Destiny's Embrace to her and entered a Migi Gedan* stance. Consumed by their hunger for hearts, the Heartless brood began to attack. Cartwheeling over a Soldier in the middle of its spinning kick Kairi countered with an upward slash followed by a two hit leaping slash and to end the combo, a 180 degree arcing slash enhanced with Light magic. Not wanting to lose her groove, Kairi rushed in to a sliding dash taking care not to provoke a premature explosion from any of the Minute Bombs and just like the Soldier before it, the Shadows were vanquished leaving not a scratch on the red-head.

The Minute Bombs proved to be a little more difficult as they were constantly on the move until they began their countdown to explode. Successfully cartwheeling away from one before it exploded, Kairi concentrated mana into Destiny's Embrace and began to cast Blizzard spells to slow the remaining Minute Bombs down. Unbeknownst to her though a Neoshadow had also spawned with the brood, but kept to the shadows until it saw its victim slow down. Pulling an ether out of her hip pouch, Kairi had uncorked it with her teeth and quickly began to gulp it down so she can continue to cast spells. Seeing its chance, the Neoshadow rose from the ground underneath Kairi and landed a hit in her lower jaw knocking her Keyblade out of her hand as well as destroying the half empty ether. Before it could deal the final blow, the Neoshadow was decapitated by a familiar red and silver chakram.

"Looks like you could use some help."

Quickly turning around, Kairi soon found herself face to face with her savior, the ever cocky and carefree Lea who despite not being affiliated with them continued to wear the Black Coat of Organization XIII.

"Glad to see you're not lazing about still." Kairi quipped as she called the fallen Destiny's Embrace back to her and put her guard back up.

"You wound me Princess." Lea replied with mock hurt in his voice as she slashed at a nearby Shadow which had spawned along with a swarm of Darkballs after sensing the pyro's presence. "After all the hard work I just put into rescuing you, the first thing you say is 'glad to see you're not lazing about.' Such injustice!"

As the battle continued, it became apparent that the Heartless swarm would continue to grow with each one slain.

"This isn't good…" Lea sighed as his chakrams boomeranged back to him. "If this keeps up we'll be dead meat. Go it memorized?"

_"__He's right."_ Kairi thought as she swatted away a Shadow who was in mid leap. _"We need to end this before we get overrun…"_

"YAH HOO HOO HOOEY!"

"KAIRI!"

Looking towards the direction of the familiar screams, Kairi suddenly felt refreshed as her bruises were instantly healed. Quickly springing into action she held her Keyblade above her head and cast Float to slow down her friends' fall. Landing with avian grace was Disney Castle's Royal Court Wizard Donald Duck with his staff raised poised for battle.

"Don't worry Kairi, we'll protect you!" the duck cried with aggressive confidence. Unfortunately for him, that confidence was shattered when Goofy, Captain of the Disney Castle Royal Knights fell on top of him.

"Gawrsh, sorry Donald." Goofy apologized cheerfully as he picked himself up and brandished his shield for battle. Grumbling incoherently, Donald picked himself off the ground in a small fit of frustration and embarrassment. Finally finding his staff, the mage poised himself for battle once again intending to take his pent up frustration out on the Heartless.

"Not that I'm not glad to see you guys, but what are you doing here?" Kairi asked as she cut down a charging Soldier who thought to use Donald and Goofy's "entrance" as a means to capture Kairi's pure heart while she was distracted.

"We just pulled in from the gummi ship when we saw you and Lea ready to collapse" Goofy explained as he used his shield to protect Lea as Donald began to cast another healing spell this time directed towards Lea.

"Besides." Donald added with a sly smirk. "Sora would kill us if we let anything happen to his girlfriend." Blushing furiously, Kairi unintentionally swung her Keyblade and sent the duck flying into the outer wall of Yen Sid's tower. "You jerk!" Kairi exclaimed face just as red if not redder than her hair. "It's not like that at all! Sora and I are just friends, nothing more!"

"That backhand swing of yours says otherwise Princess." Lea laughed as he pulled Donald out from the wall. As the two red-heads began to banter back and forth, Goofy was swatting Heartless back and forth. Suddenly, the swarm sank away back into the shadows from whence they came, but not before they expanded the size of their entryway to allow a Darkside to emerge from the depths. "Uh fellers, I think we're about to have a huge problem on our hands."

"Ah phooey!" Donald scoffed. "What do you know about-WHAT?!" Seeing the Darkside, Donald went into an incoherent babbling rant. Raising its fist, the giant Heartless swung down with all its might at the babbling duck. Springing back to action, Lea tossed one of his chakrams at Darkside's face and struck it in the eye causing it to recoil in pain. "Oh I'm sorry!" he taunted. "Did I forget to mention playing with fire is bad for your livelihood?"

Snarling in fury, the agitated Darkside used its head tendrils to grab the snarky red-head and tossed him further in the air and pulled its arm back to deliver a devastating punch.

"LEA!" Kairi screamed as Destiny's Embrace began to glow with a radiant light. In a flash, the Keyblade had completely changed shape. While the hilt and keychain remained the same, the rest of the weapon had radically changed. No longer was it a sword, the "blade" was now extended by four feet and limped giving it a whip like appearance. The colorful bouquet of flowers that functioned as the "key's teeth" had transformed into a golden rose whose thorny stem wrapped completely around the whip lash to inflict additional damage. Cracking the transformed Destiny's Embrace, Kairi began to twirl it around her head. Gaining the momentum she needed Kairi flicked her wrist and released the whip. Meanwhile, Lea successfully pulled off an aerial recovery and just as Darkside's fist was able to make contact, the pyro blocked it with his second chakram. Falling towards the ground, he saw Kairi transform Destiny's Embrace and got an idea. Once chest level with Darkside, Lea dug his chakram into its chest and slid down towards the heat-shaped hole in the creature's chest. Diving through the hole, Lea held up his chakram and caught Destiny Embrace's ascending lash with it.

"What are you doing?!" Kairi shouted. "Are you trying to get yourself killed?" With a confident chuckle Lea used a slingshot maneuver with the chakram and launched the Princess of Heart into the air. "Elevator going up!"

_"__What's that idiot think he's doing?!"_ Kairi screamed in her head as she ascended the sky. _"When I get back down, I'm going to-wait a minute…Lea I could kiss you right now." _Reverting Destiny's Embrace back to its normal state, flipped herself around and began to nose dive towards Darkside's head.

_(Insert Song: Brave Heart)_

Quickly turning around the Heartless aimed a high punch at the incoming Kairi. Bringing her blade down, Kairi parried the blow and quickly planted her feet on the creature's fist and used it as a platform to jump higher into the air for extra momentum. Upon reaching the apex of her jump Kairi held her weapon above her head and dove down once again this time aided by quickly cast Haste spell. Taking advantage of her increased fall speed, Kairi began to infuse Destiny's Embrace with the power of Light. Once fully charged, the Keyblade was glowing a bright gold and Kairi began to somersault in the air giving her the appearance of a glowing buzz saw. Sensing the danger, Darkside held up its arms in an "X" to protect its face and body from the blow. Unfortunately for it, the Light magic that enhanced Destiny's Embrace was far too powerful for it and Kairi cut through it like a knife through hot butter. Mortally wounded, the Heartless to its knees and faded away allowing the heart it contained to fly away free.

Landing on the ground with the grace of a crane, Kairi twirled Destiny's Embrace in a couple of fast arcs and as she dismissed the weapon she made motions similar to a samurai sheathing his katana.

_(Brave Heart ends)_

"Whoa-ho Princess!" Lea exclaimed as he gave the red-head a round of applause. "Fight, fight, fight!"

The next thing he saw was stars and Donald and Goofy wincing as Kairi slapped him across the face.

"Idiot, next time warn a girl before you toss her into the air. 'Got it memorized'?" Kairi huffed.

"Okay, maybe I deserved that…"

Suddenly, a large Keyhole appeared in the sky causing a gale force wind to sweep across the triumphant heroes. "Gwarsh, what's going on?" Goofy asked using his shield to protect himself from the wind all while catching Donald who was being blown away by the tail.

"I don't know." Lea replied as he held his arms over his face. "But, something is coming out of there. Something powerful…"

"Xehanort?" Donald suggested as he held on to Goofy's arm for dear life.

"No way, even that old goat isn't stupid enough to attack us here on Yen Sid's turf."

"That there boy did." Goofy interjected. "Uh, Vena…Vaan…Vinni…"

"VANITAS!" Donald shouted angrily letting go of Goofy and to his embarrassment is blown through the Tower door as the wind died down and the Keyhole disappeared.

"Wow guys, of all the people to suggest you choose Xehanort. Thanks a lot, really feeling the love here."

Eyes adjusting back to normal, Kairi looked in the direction of the voice and she gasped in shock and happiness. Standing before the battle-worn group was the familiar spikey haired form of Sora whose outfit had seen better days. "Yo!"

"Sora!" Goofy exclaimed as he pulled Donald out of the wreckage of the front door and tackled the teen to the ground.

"Donald! Goofy!"

Picking themselves up from the ground the trio began to link hands and dance around in circles much to amusement of Lea and Kairi.

"Nice to see you're still in one piece." Lea said giving Sora a pat in the back after he was finished with his happy dance with Donald and Goofy. "Then again you were always able to take care of yourself weren't you Roxas?"

"Hey what am I Lea, chopped liver?" Sora asked with mock hurt as a tear began to fall from his eye due to the influence of Roxas.

"Right, good to see you too Sora." Lea replied playing along.

"Gee, so glad you care."

Snickering to themselves, Donald and Goofy snuck up behind the distracted Sora and pushed him into Kairi.

"Guys, what the he-uh, hi Kai." the flustered brunet stuttered his face red as a tomato as he took Kairi's lucky charm out of his pocket to give back. "I-I'm back." Smiling fondly, Kairi closed Sora's extended hand and pushed it back to him. "Welcome back."

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**Next Time: Wielder's Resolve! Kairi vs Sora.**


End file.
